After all, he took a line shot off the pitching hand in the American League Championship Series, and stayed in the game.

But a line shot off the head is something else, entirely.

That’s what happened to the Tigers’ lanky starting pitcher in Thursday’s Game 2 of the World Series, when Gregor Blanco laced a comebacker right back to the mound, clipping his head before Fister could get his glove up in self-defense.

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He’d stay in the game again, tough it out, but it wasn’t enough.

San Francisco scratched out a 2-0 win in Game 2, putting the Tigers in a two-games-to-none hole in the series.

In Game 1 of the Series, the Giants became the second team in MLB history to win four straight posteason games by five or more runs. Thursday, they needed far less, the way the two opposing pitchers — Madison Bumgarner and Fister — went at it.

Far cry from the way the first game turned out.

“Yeah, I mean, last night’s game is what it is. I mean, we got beat. They played better than we did, obviously. There’s no question about that. You know, Justin (Verlander) by his own admission was out of whack,” manager Jim Leyland said before the game of the disappointing, 8-3 result the night before.

“But you know what, to our credit, in my opinion I thought we swung the bats pretty good last night. I thought we had good atbats. There was nothing wrong with our atbats last night. We might have been a couple good catches by the left fielder from it being 63, 64 ballgame. They were better than we were last night, plain and simple.

“In these games you’ve got to be able to turn the page. It’s pretty much like the regular season. I know there’s more of a sense of urgency now because you’re talking about a sevengame series. But you have to be able to turn the page and tonight is a new chapter, different pitcher for both teams. Whoever pitches best is probably going to win.”

This time it was the offense’s fault, not the pitching.

Not the way Fister matched Bumgarner.

It was a surprising duel to find that particular duo in, but for different reasons.

For Fister, it was shocking, considering how easily his night — or worse — could’ve ended on Blanco’s second-inning liner.

The ball glanced off the right side of Fister’s head, and caromed into center field for a single.

Tigers head trainer Kevin Rand and manager Jim Leyland both hustled out to the mound to check on him, immediately.

Audio from the television feed picked up Fister answering Rand’s quick concussion test with “San Francisco. Game 2.” Rand asked how many outs there were. “Two,” Fister answered. “Get the third,” Rand replied.

The pitcher would walk Brandon Crawford to load the bases, but get the opposing pitcher, Madison Bumgarner, to pop out to end the threat.

In all, he’d retire 12 straight before allowing another baserunner, as Game 1 hero Pablo Sandoval singled with two outs in the sixth, on Fister’s 101st pitch.

He’d last one batter into the seventh, exiting after giving up a leadoff single to Hunter Pence, just the fourth hit allowed on the night.

Drew Smyly would inherit the runner, and walk the first batter he faced — Brandon Belt — after nearly getting a double-play ball, midway through the at-bat. Blanco, trying to lay down the sac bunt, lays down a perfect bunt (as the Tigers tried to wait for it to roll foul) to load the bases.

A double-play ball off the bat of Brandon Crawford was all it took to break the scoreless tie, plating Pence with the go-ahead run. It was the first inherited runner the Tigers’ bullpen had allowed to score this postseason. It would also end Fister’s streak of scoreless innings pitched at 12.1, dating back to the seventh inning of Game 2 of the ALDS.

The Giants would add an insurance run in the eighth, when Smyly and Octavio Dotel would combined to walk the bases loaded, and Hunter Pence’s deep sacrifice fly made it 2-0. Phil Coke would get the Tigers out of the jam with a strikeout.

It was enough, considering how well Bumgarner had pitched, after struggling to date in the playoffs.

In Bumgarner’s last postseason start — Game 1 of the NLCS against the Cardinals — he gave up six runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.

The Tigers had the chance to strike first in the second inning, but had that potential run thrown out at the plate, as Prince Fielder tried to score from first base on Delmon Young’s double down the left-field line. Fielder stutter-stepped around third base, then barreled down the line toward Giants catcher Buster Posey, who was set up inside the base line. Posey took the relay throw and slapped a swipe tag on Fielder just before he crossed the plate. It was the third stellar defensive play already that left fielder Blanco has been a part of.

“Our defense can win games for you,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of Blanco’s two diving catches in Game 1. “You can help win a ballgame without getting a base hit.”

Bumgarner would get Jhonny Peralta to pop out and strike out Avisail Garcia to end the rally with no harm done.

The Giants lefty would exceed his postseason strikeout high with six through the first five innings. He’d stretch that to eight by the end of the sixth, the most he’d recorded since Aug. 20.

He’d leave after the Giants took a 1-0 lead in the seventh inning, having allowed just two hits and two walks in seven shutout innings.

The Tigers wouldn’t really threaten again — not that they’d threatened much up to that point. They’d get five baserunners on the entire night, and have three of them retired on the basepaths.

Email Matthew B. Mowery at matt.mowery@oakpress.com and follow him on Twitter @matthewbmowery. Text keyword “Tigers” to 22700 to get updates sent to your phone. Msg & data rates may apply. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel.